


the dog days are over

by troubleseemstfollow



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: ALL THE FLUFF, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, cw for some (minor) blood! it’s nothing horrible don’t worry, rated T for some swearing, swift wind is a golden retriever lmao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:14:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25959634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/troubleseemstfollow/pseuds/troubleseemstfollow
Summary: “Would you like to get dinner with me?” Catra asks suddenly.Adora is thrown off guard. “Are you-are you asking me out on a date?”“Yes.” Catra says with no hesitation. “I mean, it’s the least I could do, take you out for dinner. After you got all ripped up trying to save my cat.”“Swift Wind tried to eat your cat.”“Still.”
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 297





	the dog days are over

**Author's Note:**

> hi everyone! i decided to try something different from my other fic and wrote up this little one shot :’) i hope you all enjoy!

Adora never meant to fall in love. 

Especially not with a cat person. 

It was a crisp 7:00 am on a Saturday, and Adora wakes up to the blaring of her alarm, and the complaints of her roommate. 

“Can you turn that goddamn thing off?” comes the grumpy snap from her roommate, Glimmer, in her room across the hallway. Adora guiltily fumbles for her phone, shutting the horrible noise off as fast as she can. 

“Sorry!” she calls out. Glimmer has never been a morning person, and her being a light sleeper had never been compatible with Adora’s early rises. Their other roommate Bow, on the other hand, slept so deeply that it took both Adora and Glimmer to shake him awake on some mornings. 

Not allowing that interaction to dampen her day, Adora busies herself with her Saturday morning routine. Get up, brush teeth, wash face, feed Swift Wind, stretch, and put on her running gear. She goes for a blue sports tank top and grey jogging pants, and ties her hair up in her usual ponytail. 

“Swift Wind!” Adora calls in a sing-song voice. Her golden retriever, Swift Wind, wags his tail at her as he bounds over to Adora, his big brown eyes warm and loving. When Adora, Bow and Glimmer has first moved into this building, their landlord had been strict on the no-pets-allowed policy. It had taken months of begging, picking up extra chores and even bribery on Glimmer’s part for their landlord to allow them to finally have a dog. It had all been worth it, in the end; Swift Wind was the only one other than Adora who enjoyed her Saturday morning jogs. 

“Are you ready to go?” Adora asks, grabbing Swift Wind’s leash and harness out of the front hall closet and presenting it to him. Swift Wind pants happily, tail wagging back and forth in excitement as she pulls the harness over his head. “Let’s go!”

Adora clips Swift Wind on by harness and leads him out of the apartment. Being on the main floor did have its perks sometimes, especially when it came to owning a dog. Locking the door, Adora stuffs her keys into her pant pocket, and takes off. Swift Wind keeps pace next to her, his nails clicking against the sidewalk as they start out on a light jog. 

Adora loves summer. She loves the early mornings, right before it gets too hot. She loves her morning routine. She loves taking Swift Wind out. She loves the feeling of coming back from a run, sweaty and with aching muscles. She loves her post-run breakfasts. To Adora, this seems like the start of a perfect day. 

After about 20 minutes, Adora and Swift Wind reach their favourite park, where Swift Wind can drink from the dog fountain and Adora can stretch before the jog back to the apartment. At this time in the morning, the park is mostly empty, aside form an elderly couple leaving. Adora, enjoying the peace and quiet, slows her pace. She scratches Swift Wind between the ears, and leads him over the the dog fountain to him to drink. She presses the button on the fountain and Swift Wind laps happily at the water. Adora rubs her free hand through her hair, and looks around, waiting for Swift Wind to finish.

Adora thought she had been alone. 

Across the park, sitting on a bench underneath a tree, she sees another girl, college age, rummaging through her backpack. Adora’s age. The girl’s long brown hair is tied up in a ponytail, and is that a cat on a leash she’s holding in her arms? Adora had never seen that before. Who takes a cat to a park-

“Hey!” Adora cries out in surprise as Swift Wind lurches forward, dragging her along with him by his leash. It seems like Adora wasn’t the only one who noticed the girl and her cat. To Adora’s horror, Swift Wind barrels towards the girl, who is frozen in shock, her mouth opened in a perfect ‘o’. They were so close to her. Adora panics, and manages to dig her feet into the ground. Swift Wind continues to drag her.

“Stop! Swift Wind, stop!” Adora cries, and Swift Wind, ever the obedient dog, stops, and turns to look at her, panting. Adora scowls at him. 

“Um,” comes a voice. Adora looks up.

The girl is staring at her with wide eyes. She’s standing up on the bench in attempt to get away from Swift Wind, and her cat nowhere in sight. Her face is flushed, and she looks at Adora angrily. 

_Shit, _Adora thinks. Not only has Swift Wind scared the other girl and her cat, but the girl was gorgeous. The girl had a spray of freckles across her face, high cheekbones, full lips (which were twisted in a scowl, directed at Adora), and not to mention her different coloured eyes. The girl was undeniably beautiful. Adora was screwed.__

__“I’m so sorry!” Adora manages, holding the now unbothered Swift Wind back. “He’s not usually like that, he’s always so well behaved-”_ _

__“You’re sorry?” the other girl splutters with rage. “Your dog tried to eat my cat!”_ _

__“I know, I’m so sorry,” Adora says again miserably. She pauses. “Where-where is your cat?”_ _

__The girl points up into the tree angrily. “Look for yourself.”_ _

__Adora winces as she cranes her neck up to look into the tree. She spots the grey cat huddled on a branch, a good 5 feet above Adora, mewling pitifully. The cat’s leash is tangled within the leaves and branches. _Shit, _Adora thinks again. She eyes the tree. It’s thick and sturdy, with grooves to put her hands and feet in. The first branch was only about a foot or so above Adora’s head. She could do this.___ _

____“I can get your cat down,” Adora tells the girl._ _ _ _

____“Just go,” the girl says cooly. “I think you’ve done enough.”_ _ _ _

____“No, really. I can.” Adora turns to Swift Wind. “Down, boy.” Swift Wind obediently lies down, resting his head between his paws and gazing up at her. “Good boy.” Adora can sense the other girl watching her. Adora ties the leash to the bench and goes over to the base of the tree. She jumps up, and manages to grab the branch directly over her head. Adora swings her feet up until they’re planted on the side of the tree. With a huff, she pulls herself up until her chin is level with the branch and her hands._ _ _ _

____“Please, it’s fine,” the girl says from the bottom. “I can just call the fire department or something.”_ _ _ _

____Adora ignores her. She wraps her legs around the branch and prays that it will support her weight. Adora grabs onto another branch above her and pulls herself up again until she’s in an awkward squatting position._ _ _ _

____“What’s your cat’s name?” Adora calls down to the girl._ _ _ _

____“Melog.”_ _ _ _

____“Here, Melog,” Adora calls, carefully pulling herself up so she can stand on the branch. She winces when the smaller branches scratch her face and her arms. She spots the grey cat, Melog, just out of reach on her right side. She’ll have to go up higher to untangle the leash._ _ _ _

____Adora grabs onto another branch, and lifts her right foot up to raise herself higher. The branch she chose must have been too young, too weak, because as soon as her foot makes contact, it breaks underneath her. Adora curses as she feels herself slip. The girl, now staring up from the base of the tree, screams. Adora grabs onto the tree, ignoring the painful scraping of the bark against her palms and catches herself. She carefully finds another branch to support herself on._ _ _ _

____“Be careful!” the girl cries._ _ _ _

____Adora lifts herself up until she’s eye-level with the branch the cat is on. Melog hisses at her, but keeps his distance, his blue eyes stretched wide with fear as Adora reaches her hand out to try and unwrap his leash from the branches._ _ _ _

____“It’s okay,” Adora whispers. Supporting her upper body between two larger branches, Adora unclips Melog’s harness from the leash. Now free, Melog scurries down the free towards the girl. Adora carefully unravels the leash from the breach, and descends slowly down from the tree._ _ _ _

____“Thank you so much,” the girl says to Adora once she’s reached the ground. Her eyes are shining, and she’s holding the now purring Melog in her arms. Adora hands her the cat leash and the girl clips Melog on, setting him gently down on the bench. Swift Wind, from where he was lying down by the bench, jumps up happily and nudges Adora with his nose._ _ _ _

____“It’s the least I could do.” Adora says, and goes to wipe her hands off on her pants when she realizes that they’re bloody, skin rubbed off from the bark._ _ _ _

____“Oh!” the girl gasps. “Your hands. Let me.” The girl goes to her backpack and pulls out a First Aid Kit. Adora almost laughs._ _ _ _

____“Do you always carry that around with you?” she asks with amusement._ _ _ _

____The girl blushes. “I have a really clumsy friend, okay?” She pulls out a package of gauze pads and rips them open. She dabs them carefully on Adora’s palms, Adora wincing slightly at the sting. After Adora’s hands are all cleaned up, the girl pulls out two large bandages and gives them to Adora to patch over her hands. Their closeness has Adora being short of breath. The girl was even more beautiful this close up._ _ _ _

____“What’s your name?” the girl asks._ _ _ _

____“I’m really gay-I mean, I’m Adora,” Adora stumbles, and cringes at herself. She can’t believe she had just said that out loud._ _ _ _

____The other girl just looks at her with amusement. “I’m Catra.”_ _ _ _

____“Your name is C-Catra?”_ _ _ _

____The girl-Catra-rolls her eyes. “Don’t even try it. I’ve heard every joke in the book”_ _ _ _

____Adora laughs. She can’t help it. This whole situation was so ridiculous._ _ _ _

____“Why are you walking your cat on a leash?” she can’t help but ask._ _ _ _

____“Cats need just as much exercise as dogs, you know.”_ _ _ _

____“But a leash? It looks so strange.”_ _ _ _

____Catra snorts. “Says the girl who climbed up into a tree for a stranger without a moments hesitation.”_ _ _ _

____Adora smiles at her. She just can’t help it._ _ _ _

____Catra notices Adora looking at her, and clears her throat. A blush has spread across her cheeks. “So,” she says awkwardly. “What’s your dog’s name?”_ _ _ _

____“This is Swift Wind.” Adora reaches down to give Swift Wind a scratch behind the ears. “Swifty for short. He’s me and my roommate’s dog.”_ _ _ _

____“Swift Wind.” Catra pauses. “Did you name him?”_ _ _ _

____“Yeah, it’s a-heh, it’s kind of a funny story.”_ _ _ _

____A beat._ _ _ _

____“Would you like to get dinner with me?” Catra asks suddenly._ _ _ _

____Adora is thrown off guard. “Are you-are you asking me out on a date?”_ _ _ _

____“Yes.” Catra says with no hesitation. “I mean, it’s the least I could do, take you out for dinner. After you got all ripped up trying to save my cat.”_ _ _ _

____“Swift Wind tried to eat your cat.”_ _ _ _

____“Still.”_ _ _ _

____“Yes.” Adora says. “I would love to go out to dinner with you.”_ _ _ _

____“Great!” Catra smiles, and pulls out her phone from her back pocket. “Put in your number. I’ll text you the details.”_ _ _ _

____With shaky, bandaged hands, Adora puts in her number. She can feel the blood roaring in her ears._ _ _ _

____“I’ll see you later?” Catra asks. While Adora was distracted with her phone, Catra had already put on her backpack and had Melog in her arms, ready to leave._ _ _ _

____“I’ll see you later.” Adora promises._ _ _ _

____._ _ _ _

____“I knew those early mornings would all be worth it!” Glimmer crows._ _ _ _

____Adora frowns at her. “You hate my early mornings.”_ _ _ _

____Glimmer rolls her eyes at Adora. “I do. And I stand by that. But this time, you actually got something out of it!”_ _ _ _

____“I don’t need to get something out of taking Swift Wind for a run-”_ _ _ _

____“Adora!” Bow slings his arm around Adora’s neck. “This is great news!”_ _ _ _

____All three of them were sitting around their little table in the apartment kitchen. Adora, sweaty and tired, was trying to eat her post-jog breakfast, but was interrupted by Glimmer and Bow, who had asked her why she had leaves in her hair and bandages around her hands. Adora told them about her run in with Catra, and now they won’t leave her alone._ _ _ _

____“What does she look like?” Bow prompts her._ _ _ _

____“Short.” Adora says. “Brown hair. Freckles. She’s got these beautiful blue and gold eyes.”_ _ _ _

____Bow winks at her. “She sounds like a catch.”_ _ _ _

____“What are you going to wear? You haven’t been on a date in ages!” Glimmer demands._ _ _ _

____“She texted me.” Adora says around a mouthful of pancake. “We’re going to Thaymor’s Diner. Nothing fancy.”_ _ _ _

____“That’s so romantic!” Bow sighs. “The views are so beautiful at sunset.”_ _ _ _

____Adora stabs a strawberry with her fork. “I’m actually pretty excited.”_ _ _ _

____“You should be!” Glimmer says. “I’ll help you get ready. My baby is all grown up!”_ _ _ _

____“Glimmer, I’m 11 months older than you.”_ _ _ _

____“Okay, and?”_ _ _ _

____Swift Wind barks in agreement._ _ _ _

____._ _ _ _

____Adora arrives at the diner, her phone burning in her pocket. Catra had just texted her that she had arrived, and was waiting. Waiting for Adora. Adora feels sweaty already._ _ _ _

____She was grateful for the quiet bus ride over, the lull of people around her and the rattle of the bus calming to her nerves. She has never felt this nervous before a date._ _ _ _

____Adora tugs at her jacket sleeve, trying to conceal her bandaged hands. The cool summer evening air is causing her to shiver slightly. Glimmer had helped Adora pick out an outfit for her date with Catra; her red letterman jacket from high school, a vintage graphic t-shirt, and her blacks jeans. Adora hopes she isn’t too dressed down for a first date but then again, Catra had picked the most casual, most comfy diner in all of Etheria. Thaymor is located cliff side, looking right out onto the ocean._ _ _ _

____She opens the door to the diner, hearing the bell ring to signify her entrance. The hostess, a cheery looking girl with pink hair greets her with a smile._ _ _ _

____“Hi! I’m Flutterina, and welcome to Thaymor’s Diner!” the girl says. “Dining in our taking out?”_ _ _ _

____“Dining in,” Adora says. “Um, I’m with someone. A reservation.”_ _ _ _

____“Who is the name under?”_ _ _ _

____“Ferreira.”_ _ _ _

____“Right this way!” Flutterina says, and guides Adora over to the far side of the finer, towards the booths. There, she sees Catra, waiting for her. Adora gulps._ _ _ _

____Catra is wearing a red blouse, with jeans and a black jacket. Her long hair is down. She smiles at Adora when she and Flutterina approach._ _ _ _

____“I’ll leave you two with the menus, and I’ll have a server over soon!” Flutterina says, placing the menus down on the table and leaving with a flourish. Adora sits down opposite to Catra. The other girl looks breathtaking._ _ _ _

____“Wow,” Catra says. “You look really good.”_ _ _ _

____Adora blushes. “You do too.”_ _ _ _

____“Have you ever been here before?”_ _ _ _

____“A few times. With my friends.”_ _ _ _

____“Right.” Catra says. A beat. “So. You said that you naming Swift Wind was a funny story. Tell me.”_ _ _ _

____Adora laughs. “Seriously?”_ _ _ _

____“Yes! I want to know.”_ _ _ _

____“Well,” Adora scratches the back of her neck awkwardly. “I guess it’s not that funny. There was this TV show I was obsessed with as a little kid. A cartoon. It was about this um,” she hesitates, and Catra nods at her, imploring her to go on. “This talking horse named Swift Wind who like, I don’t know. Saved people. I thought it was cool. I thought it would be a good name.”_ _ _ _

____“You’re telling me,” Catra says. “That not only are you a dog person, but you’re also a horse girl?”_ _ _ _

____“Hey!” Adora laughs. “That’s not fair.”_ _ _ _

____Catra laughs too._ _ _ _

____Adora learns that Catra is going into her third year at college, just like her. Catra is majoring in economics, and works part time at the Salineas Boating and Yatch Club, despite having an intense fear of the water. She learns that Catra is a Scorpio, and is left handed. In return, Catra learns that Adora is going into her third year of being art history major, who lives with her two best friends Glimmer and Bow. She learns that Adora is a Capricorn, and about her Saturday morning routines._ _ _ _

____“You know,” Adora says to Catra, pointing at the other girl with a french fry, “I have never seen a cat on a leash before.”_ _ _ _

____“It’s good to be open to new things,” Catra teases._ _ _ _

____“Cats are just-,” Adora frowns. “Difficult. I feel like if my house was on fire and I had a cat, the cat would take my money and run.”_ _ _ _

____Catra scoffs. “You dog people are so over dramatic. You all act like a cat personally murdered your entire family.”_ _ _ _

____“But it’s true!” Adora protests, and Catra laughs again. Adora loves her laugh._ _ _ _

____“I can’t believe I’m on a date with the human embodiment of a golden retriever,” Catra says._ _ _ _

____“Yep, that’s me.” Adora grins at her._ _ _ _

____Catra grins back._ _ _ _

____._ _ _ _

____“Come on, I want to show you something.” Catra says, taking Adora’s arm and leading her over to the water’s edge. The two of them, after paying, had walked behind the diner down towards the the rickety, wooden stairs from the top of the cliff and descended down to the beach. Their shoes lie discarded at the bottom of the stairs._ _ _ _

____The sun was beginning to set, and the sky was streaked with orange and yellow and pink. It feels like everything is glowing. Adora has never seen anything more beautiful. Except-_ _ _ _

____“Adora, come on!” Catra calls, and Adora stumbles after her. They reach the surf, and Catra crouches down, searching the sand and stone while Adora stands beside her. The waves lap at their ankles._ _ _ _

____“I thought you were afraid of water?” Adora asks._ _ _ _

____“Not when it’s like this.” Catra replies. “Not when it’s this beautiful.” She continues to look around in the sand, until she lets out a triumphant “Yes!” Catra scoops up something in her hands, and stands up, offering whatever it is to Adora. It’s a little shard of green glass, edges now completely smoothed over from it’s time in the sea._ _ _ _

____“Sea glass,” Adora breathes. “It’s beautiful.”_ _ _ _

____Catra smiles at Adora, and takes her hand, bandages and all._ _ _ _

____._ _ _ _

____“Thank you for driving me home.” Adora says as Catra pulls her car onto Adora’s street. Adora touched the shard of sea glass in her jacket pocket with her fingers, making sure it’s still there. Catra and Adora had spent almost an hour at the beach after the sun hd set, walking down the strip hand in hand, just talking. Adora realizes that she has never loved someone’s company more._ _ _ _

____“I should be thanking you.” Catra replies, rolling up in front of Adora’s apartment and parking on the side of the road. “For all you did for me.”_ _ _ _

____“I told you, it’s the least I could have done. Swift Wind did kind of almost eat your cat, anyways.”_ _ _ _

____Catra laughs. Adora loves how her shoulders shake when she laughs._ _ _ _

____“It’s late,” Adora says mournfully. Outside was completely dark, aside from a few street lamps and porch lights. “I should go. Thank you for tonight.”_ _ _ _

____“Let me walk you to your door,” Catra says. Adora smiles at her, and the two get out of the car._ _ _ _

____Now, standing in front of her apartment, Adora doesn’t want to leave. She wants to stay here, on her front steps with Catra, forever. Catra is backlit by Adora’s neighbour’s porch light, giving her a halo. She looks beautiful._ _ _ _

____“I had such a good time with you.” Adora says to her. “I hope we can do it again.”_ _ _ _

____Catra smiles. “I hope so too.”_ _ _ _

____They stand in compatible silence, neither one wanting to be the first to go._ _ _ _

____Catra breaks the silence. “I don’t normally kiss on the first date,” she says. She looks Adora in the eyes. “But tonight, I am willing to make an exception. If you’re okay with that.”_ _ _ _

____“I’m okay with that.” Adora whispers._ _ _ _

____Catra grins, and when she stands up on her tip-toes to meet Adora, Adora feels her heart swell. Catra cups Adora’s face between her hands and kisses her, soft and slow. Adora kisses back. They stay like that, wrapped up in each other, for what feels like forever._ _ _ _

____Catra is the first to pull away. “I’m being bitten by mosquitos out here.”_ _ _ _

____Adora laughs, and pulls the other girl close in a hug. “Text me later?”_ _ _ _

____“I will,” Catra says. “I promise.”_ _ _ _

____As Adora watches Catra’s car drive off, she feels herself fall a little bit in love._ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> n case this is important, i am, personally, a cat person, but i have had both cats and dogs my entire life. 
> 
> constructive criticism is always appreciated! come say hi to me over on tumblr @ gfshera :)


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